Bravery
by Vampbarbie
Summary: The crew all tell their Captain how brave they think he is, just in their own ways.


The crew all tell Mal how brave they think he is, just in different ways. Please read and review

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Bravery

**River**

River swung her legs against the crate and watched him standing on the ship's ramp as the woman thanked him for giving her saf River

River swings her legs against the crate, heels banging and watches him standing on the ship's ramp as the woman thanks him for giving her safe passage across the 'verse. Another Malcolm Reynolds good deed that he would say was only done because he needed the coin.

"God bless you Captain Reynolds," she is saying appreciatively.

"I doubt it," Mal smirks. "He's already seen me and what I've done. He wouldn't want me."

But the woman merely smiles at him and thanks him again for his kindness and carries her bags down the ramp.

Mal watches her go then goes to the control panel. He slams his palm onto the door control button. The ramp rasps shut as he grabs hold of the comm. "Wash? We're all locked up down here. Take her up."

"You think you're so dark," River says to him still swinging her legs.

Mal looks at her quizzically. "What's that little witch?"

"Light hearted even though you pretend you aren't."

Mal raises an eyebrow. "You think so?"

"In the short time I've know you, I've noticed you possess the lamentable tendency to put on shining armour and look for ladies to rescue."

"I do?"

"King Arthur, god rest his soul, would have loved you. He'd have you fighting every evil knight in the forest."

River jumps down off the crate and heads for the door of the cargo bay.

"Right…who is King Arthur?" Mal asks following her.

* * *

**Jayne**

Jayne punches Mal in the shoulder with his good arm even as the Captain lies on the infirmary's couch. "You stupid hwoon dahn."

Mal winces. "Thanks Jayne."

Jayne gives him a tight smile. "Stupid son of a…" he stops and sighs. "You owe me a shirt," he growls as he stomps from the room.

* * *

**Simon**

Mal leans back in the pilot's chair with a grim smile as Simon steps hesitantly into the room.

"Captain?"

Mal turns the chair, looking tired. "Yes Doc?"

"Thank you for everything you did for River," Simon's words come tumbling out in a rush. "Thank you for letting her stay…letting us stay. Thank you for stopping those men."

Mal just shrugs. "Anyone would of."

"No they wouldn't. You were so brave Captain and we're very lucky we chose Serenity." Simon looks uncomfortable. "Sorry about getting you shot." He turns and starts to hurry from the room.

"Wait," Mal sits up straighter. "You got me shot?"

* * *

**Kaylee**

Kaylee flings herself into his arms and presses a firm kiss against his surprised lips.

"Kaylee?"

"You're alive! I thought…" her lower lip wobbles. "When you went through that door…"

"Kaylee…" he starts to say but she interrupts him.

"Cap'n you're the bravest stupid…" she whacks him in the arm with her palm.

Mal goes suddenly pale and bites down very hard on his lip.

"Oh god!" Kaylee's hands fly to her mouth. "Cap'n I'm so sorry…"

Simon gently but firmly moves her out of the way and peers at the spreading blood on the arm of Mal's shirt. "Think she opened it up again Captain. Feel up to me digging the bullet out?"

Mal nods weakly. "Morphine would be mightily appreciated as well Doc."

* * *

**Zoë**

"So Simon was the one who got seen, so got me shot?" Mal asks Zoë.

She nods. "Then your rather ineffectual one-handed reply left one of them alive to shoot at Jayne. You owe him a shirt you know?"

"Yeah I know." Mal takes a swig of his drink, winces as it burns down his throat and looks up at Zoë across the table.

"Should you be drinking so soon after the Doctor has given you morphine?"

Mal waves a hand, "I'm fine."

She raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You know me Zoë, I can take it."

She smirks. "Yeah I know you. You'd rather have the alcohol than the morphine."

Mal looks affronted. "Me?"

"I remember the half and half with a bottle of rum when you speared your hand."

Mal looks down at the near invisible scar on the palm of his hand and laughs. "Yeah half for the wound and half for me. Battlefield medicine Corporal, it never goes out of style."

"Yessir. And you should go to bed." She rounds the table and hauls him to his feet. Mal sways drunkenly against her. She hooks his good arm over her shoulders and escorts him to his bunk.

"You know Zoë many women find bravery like this a turn on." He turns his most charming drunken grin on her.

She laughs loudly. "Most women don't have to clear up the mess left behind by said bravery sergeant. Not get your ass in your bunk."

* * *

**Book**

Book just shakes his head at the state of Mal who is propped drunkenly against the doorframe of his bunk, while Zoë tries to open the door and stop him falling down the ladder at the same time. "At least fortune favours the brave Captain Reynolds."

Mal squints crazily at him. "Wait…I got me shot…where's my fortune?"

* * *

**Wash**

Wash just starts laughing. Mal glares at him intently which Wash finds even funnier. Mal snorts and stomps down the stairs. Wash turns back to his dinosaurs, picks up the t-rex and mimics the Captain's voice, "You hwoon dahn double crossin'…." as the dinosaur squares off against a stegosaurus. "I am the bravest in This Land and you purple bellied…"

* * *

**Inara**

He is asleep when she steals silently down the ladder into his bunk. She looks down at the shirtless man with his eyes closed on the bunk in front of her, a clean white bandage on his right bicep. She leans down and gently brushes his hair back from his forehead. It springs stubbornly back to its original position and she smiles. Much like the man himself.

"You're so stupid Mal," she whispers softly. "Such a very stupid man." She leans further down and kisses his on the forehead. "Could have gotten killed." She kisses him lightly on the lips. "But you're the bravest man I've ever met."

She turns and retreats up the ladder as silently as she came. Mal opens his eyes and smiles in the darkness.

* * *

Translation Notes

Hwoon dahn – son of a bitch


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